Running-gear for vehicles



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UNITED STATES `PATENT OFFICE;

MYRON TOMPKINS, OF ATTICA, OHIO.

RUNNING-GEAR FOR VEHICLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 417,374, dated December 1r, 1889. A Application filed September 13,1889. Sen'alNo. 323,812. (No model.) 'I

lation' tothe body; 'and among the objects in View areto obviate the use of the usual fth-l wheel, its adjuncts, and the wear-plates, and to provide a cheap, simple, and efficient manner of pivotally connecting the 'front 'axle to the remainder of the gear, and this in such a manner as to reduce to a minimum the wear of the parts, and also so arrange them as to obviat'e the employment vof a king-bolt to reduce friction and any lateral mot-ion or swing of the head-blockv independent of the axle,

and, withal, to form an extremely rigid and vertically-pivotal connection.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will herein after appear, and the novel features thereof will be particularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a rear perspective'of an axle, reach,and bolster constructed and assembled in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section. Figf is a transverse section taken through the axle.

Like numerals of reference indicate like parts in all the gures of the drawings.

1 represents the reach of the gear, connected to the rear axle in any ordinary manner, and to the front end of the same there is connected the reach-iron 2, which consists of a rear shank or securing-plate', and forward of the reach terminates in a yoke 4, the upper arm of the yoke being provided with a ,downwardly-disposed hollow cylindrical socket 5 and the lower arm of the yoke with an opening 6. The shank 3 of the iron is bolted to theupper face of the reach by .means of bolts 7, passed through openings in the shank, said bolts also passing through similar openings formed in a binding-plate 8, secured to the` under face of the reach, the forward end of the plate extending under and terminating in a plane with the lower arm of the yoke, and having a perforation or opening 9 registering with the opening 6 of said arm. It `will be ncticed that by reason of the depending lower arm of the yoke the rear faceof said lower arm serves as an abutment for the front end of the reach, the depth of the lower arm of the yoke agreeing with the vertical width of the reach, so that the under surface of the lower arm and the reach are in the same plane, and therefore the bindingf plate 8 lies snugly against both the under surface of the reach and that of the lower arm of the yoke, and is bound to the latter by means of a bolt 10. The upper arm of the yoke terminates in a lateral plate or head 11, the stock of which is projected laterally at opposite sides at each end to form perfo-V rated lugs 12.' Upon the plate is mounted l the usual headeblock 13, and upon the headblock either the body of the vehicle or, as in this instance, the usual bow-spring 14. U- shaped clips 15 embrace the spring and have their ends passed through the perforated lugs, and are provided with nuts for binding said clips and their embraced elements snugly in position upon the plate 11.

16 represents the axle, and 17 the axle-bed, both of the usual construction. The axlebed upon its upper surface and at its center is provided with a recess 18, and within the recess is mounted an axle-iron 19, secured by screws 19*, and adapted to fill the recess and bound snugly in position by means of opposite clips 20. The under surface of the vaxle is provided with a somewhat similar iron 21, having opposite perforated lugs 22 at each end, which receive thelowcr ends of the clips 20, and are bound in position by nuts 23. The upper surface of the axle iron 19 at its center is provided with an upwardly-projecting bearing-stud 24, the upper extremity of which is slightly rounded and is adapted to lit the socket-bearing 5, formed in the upper arm of the yoke 2. The length of the socket IOO stud by reason ot its reduction for the purpose of Vformation after considerable wear. The lower axle-iron 21, at a point directly opposite the location of the stud 24, is providedY with a stud 25, which depen-ds through the openings G and 9, formed inthe lower arm of l all lateral play liable to in sure'wear and loose-' ness of the parts and maintains a rigid connection far superior to the usual fifth-wheels, the bearing-surface of the parts being inclosed, and not liable to form a receptacle for sand and` dirt, and always remain clean and sensitive. It will also be observed that no parts of the gear project in front of the axle, serving as receptacles for dust, and by such construction not only isa neat and tasty eiiect secured, but the washing of the gear is facili tated.

Having described my invention, what I claim is- 1. In a running-gear, the combination, with the reach, of the reach-iron having a shank bolted to the upper surface of the reach and having formed integrally therewith at its front end a yoke, the lower arm of the yoke depend` ing to the under surface of the reach, a binding-plate bolted to the under surface of the reach and extending under and bolted to the lower arm of the yoke, bearings formed in the upper and lower arms, and an axle having opposite bearing-studs mounted within the yoke and having its studs taking into the bearings, substantially7 as specified.

2. In a running-gear, the combination, with the reach and reach-iron, the latter terminating at its front end in verticallybpposite arms forming a yoke, the upper arm being provided with a cylindrical socket and the lower arm with abeari iig-openin g, abi udin gvplate bolted to the reach and terminating under the lower arm of the yoke, and also having a bearing registering with that of the lower arm, of the axle, an axle-plateY having an upwardly-projecting bearing-stud taking into the socketbearing of the upper arm of the yoke, and a lower axle-plate having a depending threaded stud passing through the openings in the lower arm of the yoke, and the binding-plate and clips for securing the plates in position, substantially as specified.

3. 'llie reach, in combination with the reach-l iron, the latter terminating at its front end in a yoke 4, formed by two horizontally-disposed parallel arms and an intermediate vertical connecting' portion, all in a single casting, 'the lupper arm of the yoke having a hollowsocket- 5, which is closed at its upper end, and the lower arm of the yoke having an opening G, the plate 19, secured to the upper side of the axle and provided with a stud 24e to fit the socket 5, and the plate 2l, secured to the under surface of the axle and having a stud 225, which passes through and has bearing in the opening G, for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own l have hereto affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

MYRON TOMIKINS.

Witnesses:

CHAs. S. DRURY, R. J. MARSHALL. 

